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appropriation doctrine essentially has been an attempt to broaden the definition of beneficial uses to include non-diversionary, or non-economic uses of water (Allardice, 1974).
The Pacific Northwest states are at various stages in the...
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Factors Facilitating Negotiation
1. There is general agreement among those persons interviewed that the states should assert themselves in the water planning arena, that they possess the capability to do so, and that failure to do so will be...
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Successful negotiation of a compact will also depend on what happens once negotiations begin. Negotiating success depends upon:
1. The extent to which individual states perceive that specific compact
provisions (or a compact in general) will...
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THE CURRENT ISSUES
Those persons interviewed were asked to identify important water policy issues and explain why the issues were important for their states (see appendix B). The general summary of these responses is presented in this section...
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Montana's support for an allocation of water is low for several reasons. First, people in Montana do not perceive how an allocation formula will benefit their state. They feel that headwater states invariably must give up some of their water in a...
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an allocation to be in their best interests. Once negotiations are underway the intensity of support for the allocation of water will change in Oregon and Montana as they perceive it as affecting their long-term interests.
Instream Flow...
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there is a possibility that this could be a very divisive issue because of the state's different perceptions of the issue.
Hydroelectric Power
Hydroelectric power generation was generally recognized as an interstate issue because of the...
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In summary, there was a substantial recognition of hydroelectric power as an interstate issue, but little sentiment favoring its inclusion in a water compact. However, it is possible that sentiment will develop to include it in a compact as the...
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enter it. If Idaho succeeds, the anadromous fish question will not be an issue in any water compact negotiations. However, if Idaho does not gain entry to the existing compact, it might demand fisheries concession before entering a water compact)....
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by reducing the amount of water available for their own use. Although there was universal agreement on the undesirability of diversion to the southwest, there was some sentiment in Montana for diversion out of the Columbia to the eastern part of...
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DISPOSITION OF ISSUES PREVALENT IN EARLIER COMPACT Issues Resolved or Reduced in Intensity States' Rights
The Historical Issue
The Columbia Interstate Compact Commission was rooted in a states' rights ideology in relation to river basin...
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distribution, or at least to refrain from competition with private power companies.
By contrast, the BPA had a statutory mandate to provide preference to public power utilities. In addition, BPA tended to favor a Columbia Valley Authority. The...
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Warren Marple recalls that the Interstate Compact Commission and the CBIAC were rivals, at least in the early stages. Roy Scheufele, on the other hand, did not perceive that the Compact Commission represented a threat to the CBIAC. He did relate,...
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them to be a more positive force in river basin planning. The State of Washington has consolidated the several water planning functions into a new Department of Ecology. A Water Resources Board was established in Oregon and the state legislature...
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moderated tone (vis-a-vis federal government) is not likely to be divisive. Where previously it came across as a defense mechanism to protect the states from federal encroachment and unwanted water policies, it now has a more positive quality...
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would have eliminated private power in the basin within a few years. Even after the CVA proposals were soundly defeated in the Congress in 1949, some public power advocates attempted to create in the compact what would have amounted to a...
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proposal was the near-certainty that the BPA would market the power from such a dam in southern Idaho (McKinley, p. 206). For this reason, the Idaho Power Company proposals were preferred in Idaho.
After the long dominance of New Deal policies...
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dealt with do not seriously threaten either public power or private power. While Haston found a distinct shift to have occurred, the authors perceive
a certain "tongue in cheek" quality of the cooperation. Because the controversy took place too...
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"Congress relating to the regulation and control of the use of waters of the Columbia River Basin, including any power the federal government may have relating to the authorization of 'out-of-basin' withdrawals" (letter of March 4, 1964). This...
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Amid the controversy comes yet another voice--that of the National Water Commission. The Commission recommended that, "as part of an act
repealing existing laws which prohibit the study of interbasin transfers, . . ." Congress should declare...
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One means of facilitating such development was through the allocation of power profits for assistance to irrigation.
The effect of the mechanism, known as a basin account, would be to pool all the costs and benefits of federal projects...
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Third, in February, 1974, public hearings were held in Walla Walla for managing the lower Snake River. Minimum flow projections brought severe criticism from Idaho and concern from federal power development agencies, thus underlining the need for...
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the environmental movement has brought increasing awareness of such issues as fish migration interruptions from dams, nitrogen supersaturation, and instream flow needs for fish, wildlife, and recreation. From all appearances, fish and wildlife...
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